Fuel container

Abstract

The molded component is formed by mixing or laminating a barrier resin (A) having a solubility parameter (calculated from the Fedors' equation) of more than 11 and a thermoplastic resin (B) having a solubility parameter (calculated from the Fedors' equation) of not more than 11. The molded component has excellent gasoline barrier properties and also excellent performance in thermal fusion properties and mechanical strength. The fuel container provided with such a molded component is significantly improved with regard to leakage of fuel from the molded component portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A fuel container comprising a fuel container body and a molded component mounted on the fuel container, 
       the molded component comprising a barrier resin (A) having a solubility parameter (calculated from the Fedors' equation) of more than 11 and a thermoplastic resin (B) having a solubility parameter (calculated from the Fedors' equation) of not more than 11, the barrier resin (A) and the thermoplastic resin (B) being mixed or laminated.  
     
     
       2. The fuel container according to  claim 1 , wherein the molded component is a component molded from a blended resin composition of 5 to 70% by weight of the barrier resin (A) and 30 to 95% by weight of the thermoplastic resin (B). 
     
     
       3. The fuel container according to  claim 2 , wherein a gasoline permeation amount of the barrier resin (A) is not more than 10g·20 μm/m 2 ·day (as measured at 40° C. 65% RH). 
     
     
       4. The fuel container according to  claim 2 , wherein the barrier resin (A) is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol resin, polyamide and aliphatic polyketone. 
     
     
       5. The fuel container according to  claim 4 , wherein the barrier resin (A) is an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene content of 5 to 60% by mol and a degree of saponification of at least 85%. 
     
     
       6. The fuel container according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (B) is a polyolefin resin. 
     
     
       7. The fuel container according to  claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (B) is selected from the group consisting of a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 70 to 99% by mol and a degree of saponification of at least 40%, carboxylic acid-modified polyolefin and boronic acid-modified polyolefin. 
     
     
       8. The fuel container according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (B) comprises a compatibilizer (C) and a thermoplastic resin (D) having a solubility parameter (calculated from the Fedors' equation) of not more than 11 other than the compatibilizer (C), and a blending ratio of components, (A), (C) and (D) is 5 to 70% by weight for (A), 1 to 85% by weight for (C), and 10 to 94% by weight for (D). 
     
     
       9. The fuel container according to  claim 8 , wherein the compatibilizer (C) is selected from the group consisting of a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 70 to 99% by mol and a degree of saponification of at least 40%, carboxylic acid-modified polyolefin and boronic acid-modified polyolefin. 
     
     
       10. The fuel container according to  claim 8 , wherein the compatibilizer (C) is a resin composition comprising 2 to 98% by weight of polyamide and 2 to 98% by weight of carboxylic acid-modified polyolefin. 
     
     
       11. The fuel container according to  claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (D) is polyethylene having a density of at least 0.93 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
       12. The fuel container according to  claim 2 , wherein a whole or a part of the molded component is formed by injection molding. 
     
     
       13. The fuel container according to  claim 1 , wherein the molded component is a multilayered molded component comprising the barrier resin (A) and the thermoplastic resin (B), the barrier resin being at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol resin, polyamide and aliphatic polyketone. 
     
     
       14. The fuel container according to  claim 13 , wherein the barrier resin (A) is an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A1) having an ethylene content of 5 to 60% by mol and a degree of saponification of at least 85%. 
     
     
       15. The fuel container according to  claim 14 , wherein the barrier resin (A) is a resin composition comprising 10 to 80% by weight of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, 1 to 90% by weight of a compatibilizer (C) and 0 to 89% by w eight of a thermoplastic resin (D) having a solubility parameter (calculated from the Fedors' equation) of not more than 11 other than (A) or (C). 
     
     
       16. The fuel container according to  claim 15 , wherein the compatibilizer (C) is selected from the group consisting of a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 70 to 99% by mol and a degree of saponification of at least 40%, carboxylic acid-modified polyolefin and boronic acid-modified polyolefin. 
     
     
       17. The fuel container according to  claim 15 , wherein the compatibilizer (C) is a resin composition comprising 2 to 98% by weight of polyamide and 2 to 98% by weight of carboxylic acid-modified polyolefin. 
     
     
       18. The fuel container according to  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (B) is a polyolefin resin. 
     
     
       19. The fuel container according to  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (B) comprises polyethylene having a density of at least 0.93 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
       20. The fuel container according to  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (B) is selected from the group consisting of a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 70 to 99% by mol and a degree of saponification of at least 40%, carboxylic acid-modified polyolefin and boronic acid-modified polyolefin. 
     
     
       21. The fuel container according to  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic resin (B) is a resin composition comprising 1 to 99% by weight of a compatibilizer (C) selected from the group consisting of a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 70 to 99% by mol and a degree of saponification of at least 40%, carboxylic acid-modified polyolefin and boronic acid-modified polyolefin, and 1 to 99% by weight of a thermoplastic resin (D) having a solubility parameter (calculated from the Fedors' equation) of not more than 11 other than (C). 
     
     
       22. The fuel container according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one layer of the barrier resin (A) layer or the thermoplastic resin (B) layer contains 1 to 50% by weight of inorganic filler. 
     
     
       23. The fuel container according to  claim 13 , wherein the molded component is molded with a multilayer injection molding machine, a two-color molding machine, or a co-injection molding machine. 
     
     
       24. The fuel container according to  claim 13 , wherein the molded component is mounted on a fuel container body via the thermoplastic resin (B) layer. 
     
     
       25. The fuel container according to  claim 1 , wherein the molded component is a connector for a fuel container, a cap for a fuel container or a valve for a fuel container. 
     
     
       26. The fuel container according to  claim 1 , wherein the molded component is mounted on a fuel container body by thermal fusion. 
     
     
       27. A fuel container, wherein a component formed of a thermosetting resin (E) is mounted on the fuel container provided with a molded component according to  claim 1 , via the molded component. 
     
     
       28. The fuel container according to  claim 27 , wherein the thermosetting resin (E) is polymethylene oxide.